Crop Circles

[Boneman]

Yeah, I saw a documentary on BBC where a guy claimed he was the son of God, an ancient reincarnated soul, and so on. Didn't make that documentary true, either... Some people will own up to anything just to get on the Television. And the day you start believing in 'its-on-the-television-it-must-therefore-be-true' is the day you start believing in aliens visiting: you can't have it both ways.

I'd like to see the documentary where the incredibly complex patterns are reproduced iovernight the dark, etc etc, but with a real-time counter running. Documentary makers will do anything to get on the televison - it's how they make a living...

[Chaoticheart]

Originally Posted by Starbeast

Same guy? And they all just happen to be based upon the alien from the alien autopsy vid.



And that video was... you guessed it - a fake. The alien in this was in turn based upon an alien race described in Sandgren's Den okända faran which could be based upon H G Wells's Selenites and/or one of the alien races in war of the worlds.

[RJM Corbet]

Ok Chaotic, fair point and yes, the 'alien' does look suspiciously pop-art.

The debate really is: how was that done?

It's suggested that -- assuming, say, that aliens were responsible -- they would make sure we earthlings 'got the message' in the most direct and startling way -- and therefore designed it to be effective at a level that would directly and immediately to appeal to human consciousness -- which is precisely the effect it has achieved, even here in this thread.

The 'CD' is something we all immediately recognize and understand, and were able to decode, for example?

Of course, the aliens may really look like that.

[Moonbat]

The original clip was very intriguing, but I find the notion of Aliens using binary dubious, especially 8 bits to a byte binary, then also that it refers to ASCII and that it translates into English, all a bit odd. Though as RJM says it could be the best way to communicate with us (the best way that is available to them)
There does seem to be an amazing high level of coordination between different 'circles' and a surprisingly cohenrent narrative to the explainations.

I'm not sure that I believe in the students who say yes we did it, if I remember correctly the guys who came out and admitted to the early ones were some old guys, it always seemed a little unlikely that they were fully responsible. Of course it could be that they are in the pay of the government and the 'grays' and have been bribed to admit it was them in an effort to disparage their authenticity.

[RJM Corbet]

Originally Posted by Moonbat

The original clip was very intriguing, but I find the notion of Aliens using binary dubious, especially 8 bits to a byte binary, then also that it refers to ASCII and that it translates into English, all a bit odd. Though as RJM says it could be the best way to communicate with us (the best way that is available to them)
There does seem to be an amazing high level of coordination between different 'circles' and a surprisingly cohenrent narrative to the explainations.

I'm not sure that I believe in the students who say yes we did it, if I remember correctly the guys who came out and admitted to the early ones were some old guys, it always seemed a little unlikely that they were fully responsible. Of course it could be that they are in the pay of the government and the 'grays' and have been bribed to admit it was them in an effort to disparage their authenticity.

I don't know -- but it would be nice to know 'we're not alone'. I hope it's true, and that's the whole thing: it's easier to make someone believe a lie they want to believe, than a truth that they don't want to believe?

If they're leaving crop circles and stuff it makes you wonder why they don't come on and do something definite and unmistakable: you're not alone, and all your great science is but fluff in the wind to us ...

There's the question of free will, they may perhaps advise and signal, but humans must direct their own destiny?

[Metryq]

Moonbat wrote: Of course it could be that they are in the pay of the government and the 'grays' and have been bribed to admit it was them in an effort to disparage their authenticity.

Planet ten, real soon? What is this, Buckaroo Banzai?

Though as RJM says it could be the best way to communicate with us (the best way that is available to them)

These alleged aliens can receive radio signals, like the Arecibo message, yet you're suggesting that the best way for them to reply is by coming all the way here to stomp grass? You know, there's a deposed Nigerian prince who needs your help.

RJM Corbet wrote: it's easier to make someone believe a lie they want to believe, than a truth that they don't want to believe

Bingo. Because it was really the ETs who helped NASA fake the Moon landings by carrying a radio transmitter there. That way if anyone picked up the telemetry, it would definitely be coming from the Moon.

Actually, the grass was stomped by Mega Robot.

[RJM Corbet]

Neil Armstrong:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1vFE...yer_detailpage

I am NOT suggesting the moon-landing was false. That's ridiculous, and even if someone's inclined to believe it, how would such a cover-up be concealed when so many people were involved.

But those guys saw something out there they were not at liberty to discuss ...

Buzz Aldrin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlkV1...yer_detailpage

Gordon Cooper:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvPR8...yer_detailpage

These are astronauts, highly trained observers ...

[HareBrain]

Originally Posted by Metryq

Actually, the grass was stomped by Mega Robot.

No one responded to my earlier robot idea. I can't find many hits on Google relating robots and crop circles either. But wouldn't it actually be fairly easy for some robotics researchers to set off a crawling machine to flatten wheat in a programmed pattern?

[Boneman]

Originally Posted by RJM Corbet

I don't know -- but it would be nice to know 'we're not alone'. I hope it's true, and that's the whole thing: it's easier to make someone believe a lie they want to believe, than a truth that they don't want to believe?

If they're leaving crop circles and stuff it makes you wonder why they don't come on and do something definite and unmistakable: you're not alone, and all your great science is but fluff in the wind to us ...

There's the question of free will, they may perhaps advise and signal, but humans must direct their own destiny?

Let's face it, if they did arrive 'unannounced' every nucler weapon would be thrown at them, and millions would panic and milions would die. Ah, the power of Hollywood and the media, to influence people.... Of course they could just be stopping here for directions...

[RJM Corbet]

This two hour video is dry, no frills, often tedious and the sound quality is pretty bad. Nevertheless, anyone who is seriously prepared to approach the whole subject of 'UFOs' with an open mind might like to bookmark and watch it at their leisure, as nearly 2 million others have already done ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vyVe...yer_detailpage

[Metryq]

Originally Posted by RJM Corbet

anyone who is seriously prepared to approach the whole subject of 'UFOs' with an open mind

Would you still consider someone "open minded" if they came away from this video unconvinced that we've been visited by ETs? Just curious, as that phrase is a common bit of rhetoric. "You want the best for your family, right?"

Also, endorsements from celebrity or "trained" authority do not prove anything—unidentified sightings are still unidentified. Nothing more. Yet it seems to be the default position of those who want to believe in ETs that if a sighting is unidentified, then it must be an alien spacecraft. (Again, the exclusion principle.)

The first contact with an extra-terrestrial civilization will be a historic event. I have no preconceptions about whether it will save the world or doom it. The actual events may take so long to unfold that the general public will grow bored with the subject. My one bias is that I doubt first contact will be their arrival here, buzzing our moon flights and capital cities, stomping grass and hiding behind bushes, or brazenly stepping out in a D.C. park followed by a giant silver robot.

[RJM Corbet]

Originally Posted by Metryq

Would you still consider someone "open minded" if they came away from this video unconvinced that we've been visited by ETs? Just curious, as that phrase is a common bit of rhetoric. "You want the best for your family, right?"

Also, endorsements from celebrity or "trained" authority do not prove anything—unidentified sightings are still unidentified. Nothing more. Yet it seems to be the default position of those who want to believe in ETs that if a sighting is unidentified, then it must be an alien spacecraft. (Again, the exclusion principle.)

The first contact with an extra-terrestrial civilization will be a historic event. I have no preconceptions about whether it will save the world or doom it. The actual events may take so long to unfold that the general public will grow bored with the subject. My one bias is that I doubt first contact will be their arrival here, buzzing our moon flights and capital cities, stomping grass and hiding behind bushes, or brazenly stepping out in a D.C. park followed by a giant silver robot.

It's your life, mate ...

[Metryq]

Originally Posted by RJM Corbet

It's your life, mate ...

Meaning what? That if I don't "believe" in extra-terrestrials on speculative "evidence," I must be a close-minded dullard doomed to a life of boredom? Let me rephrase your earlier question: Would you rather know the truth of a situation, or know nothing but lies so long as they cater to your fantasies?

[skeptical]

The students who confessed on the BBC doco to doing it, then demonstrated how they did it. OK, there was no clock running. But they designed a pattern using their computer program, and then rehearsed their actions as a team. Then they went out after dark, and in less than one night created a very detailed (and rather pretty) pattern. To do this, they got permission from the farmer, and no doubt, the BBC paid the farmer.

Guys.
There is no need to postulate aliens. That is just plain irrational. This is the kind of thing that can easily be done by clever pranksters. The students who confessed were clearly very clever, and had excellent computer skills for designing patterns, and planning the easiest way to create those patterns.

The confessions on TV have pretty much proven that the crop circles were done by human pranksters. Any other hypothesis has to be regarded as very, very, very improbable.

[RJM Corbet]

Originally Posted by Metryq

Meaning what? That if I don't "believe" in extra-terrestrials on speculative "evidence," I must be a close-minded dullard doomed to a life of boredom? Let me rephrase your earlier question: Would you rather know the truth of a situation, or know nothing but lies so long as they cater to your fantasies?

No, no Metryq -- this is an open discussion. If you keep taking things personally that's up to you, It's not my intention, neither can I prevent it, ok?

Whatever you think is your business, not mine ... kindly allow me the same freedom

EDIT: skeptical, you're probably right about the crop-circles ...